Elijah turns 3 and Joaquin turns 2!

We decided to celebrate Joaquin's birthday a month early this year since we will be at Ian's brother, Chris's wedding on his birthday. And, since Elijah and Joaquin are exactly 13 months apart (April 26th and May 26th) we had a dual birthday party. We figured the boys are small enough to share a party now and soon enough when they get older they probably will want their own separate day of celebration, but for now, it was fun to do them together!

Birthday boy Elijah

He carefully licked all the icing off his #3 candle

Birthday boy Joaquin

This little one, on the other hand, watched his brother getting the icing off the candle, took a huge bite out of the wax #2 and swallowed it faster than we could all say "no"!

Clapping after the boys blew out their candle

This is what we look like when we actually say "cheese". Really a horrible face for a kid to give to the camera!

Me trying to teach him a big smile!

Mommy trying to tickle and make him laugh. His face in this photo makes me think this is what he is going to look like when he gets older and mommy embarrasses him! Ha!

Joaquin's bandit playdough masque daddy made

I have to admit that the playdough potato head set that Uncle John gave the boys was super fun! Mommy and Daddy played just as much as the boys did!

Ian's playdough mustache

Joaquin showing off his new train set

I can't believe Joaquin is already 2! Our boys are growing up so quickly!

He loved his Thomas the train choo-choo set

I've been trying to teach Elijah to "smile normal" when the camera comes out.

I swear, I hate whomever came up with the "cheese" thing for kids to say for the camera! It makes them all look horribly constipated and uncomfortable for pictures and they are scarred for life to not know how to act normal in front of a camera!

I finally got a normal 1/2 smile

"Thomasssss," he yelled!

Both boys were so happy to have their names put into the birthday song. It just makes your heart full to see a child genuinely happy because you know it is real. There is no filter at their age and what you see is truly what you get. That being said, when they are in a state of joy it simply magnetizes you into that same state of happiness! This is one reason why kids birthday parties are so much fun to be a part of!

The boys had a blast opening their presents!